The Waiting Room
by LionHeartMisfit
Summary: Stiles had been struggling watching his mom fight for her life in the hospital for so long. It was wearing him down and he was losing himself in it until one day he meets a girl. Maggie Stevens. Together the two learn to deal with the tough truths of the future as well as finding comfort in each other. [Staggie Hospital AU Series. No werewolves. No Magic. No history. ]
1. Good Luck

**A/N: Okay this is an AU based off the Staggie relationship but there is no magic, no werewolves and most of it takes place at the hospital. Claudia is still alive. Anna is still alive. Stiles and Maggie have never met. Give it a read if you enjoy the pairing. Let me know how much of this you'd be interested in seeing.**

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Stiles texted his dad again as he waited for his mom to come back from her tests. He hated having to sit up at the hospital alone but he knew that it was hard for his dad to see his mom like that. Being the son of the Sheriff had it's perks though. All the doctors and nurses knew him and made sure he was taken care of. When his mom got moved, she got a really nice room with a view and her food wasn't horrible. The moment his phone beeped he sighed already knowing that his dad was going to be a no show.

**Dad:** _Got another late shift. Sorry kiddo. Give mom my love and try to grab something good from the cafeteria._

"Yeah something good from the cafeteria, _that's_ possible." Stiles breathed putting his phone away.

"I read a study once that said hospital food was actually worse than school lunches which if you think about it is pretty crappy considering this is such a depressing place, you'd think they'd at least have decent food." A girl standing at the nurses station filling out some paper work spoke up making Stiles stare at her. She was short with long, wavy black hair that matched her equally dark eyes. She was wearing a gray shirt with a black jacket that hung loosely by her holey jeans. Her black converse shoes were tapping on the floor like she couldn't control them but suddenly her eyes went wide at the sudden realization she had spoken aloud.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud…I was just lost in my head. I tend to blurt things out and that was so rude of me. The hospital isn't depressing. I mean it can be but I'm sure it's not for you. I mean…I'm just really sorry." She apologized but Stiles continued to stare at her as she bit her lip and adjusted her bag on her shoulder looking ready to bolt.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." Stiles breathed but she nodded before picking up the clipboard and walking away from the desk, daring a glance back at him before disappearing out of the doors. Stiles hadn't ever seen the girl before but he didn't have much time to think about her as his mom came rolling back through on the gurney. He stood up following her back into the room.

"Hey monkey, dad working another late one?" His mom croaked out as the nurses set her back up in her room.

"Yeah but he sends his love." Stiles put his hands in his pockets making his mom reach out and touch his arm.

"How about you go get something to eat. I'm just going to give your dad a call." She rubbed his hand trying to comfort him but he was prepared to argue when the phone rang. His mother smiled up at him and reached for it.

"Hi honey. Yes he told me and he's about to go get something to eat now." She shooed him out of the room and he leaned down to kiss her head before walking out. Stiles didn't want to walk all the way down to the cafeteria so he jingled the change in his pocket as he walked to the vending machine. They never had anything more than chips and candy in the machine but he still bought two things of Reese's and a bag of chips before grabbing a coffee which he knew was going to taste horrible. He rubbed at his eyes trying to relieve the tension when the sound of machines blaring snapped him out of it. Panic set in and he ran for it, hearing sudden sobs he slowed to a halt. The room next to his mom's had family members crying and hugging each other as the doctors and nurses tried to escort them into a family room. Stiles felt his heart beating fast as he glanced over into his mother's room. She was still talking to his father and from the looks of it, it wasn't a pleasant conversation. Typically he would hang out in the family room when they'd argue but seeing as how that was currently occupied by the Mason family he walked towards the other room. He repositioned his food in his hands as he walked in and stopped short when he saw the girl from earlier sitting legs crossed, weeding through papers and eating with headphones in her ears. He cleared his throat and she jumped. She scrambled to pull the headphones out and Stiles gave a weak smile.

"Hey! I mean hi?" She said tilting her head sideways confused at his presence.

"Hi um I was wondering if it would be cool for me to sit in here? Mr. Mason must have died because his whole family is freaking out in the other family room and I just need some place to sit and eat this." He held up his food and the girl gestured to the empty couch next to her.

"I don't own the room, feel free...not that I mind or anything. I'm just eating dinner and slowly losing my mind." She sighed as Stiles sat down. He opened his bag of chips and Maggie glanced at his hands.

"I hope my outburst earlier didn't deter you from getting dinner in the cafeteria. I'm sure there was at least one thing good down there." She said with a frown.

"It's Taco Tuesday and the don't usually use real meat so no worries." Stiles popped a chip in his mouth.

"You seem to know this place pretty well." She said unsure if she should feel sorry for him.

"My mom has been in and out of here for about a year now so I know this place pretty well." Stiles continued to eat his chips.

"I'm sorry to hear that." It was the first time the girl didn't sputter off into a rant so he took it as sincere. He looked up when she rustled through the bag next to her and held out a white styrofoam container.

"Here, if you're going to eat unhealthy at least do it right." Stiles eyed the container.

"It's spaghetti with way too much parmesan but it's really good. I thought my mom would eat it but she apparently is back on liquids." She explained making Stiles feel obligated to take it. She was right though, it was still warm.

"How did you get it to stay warm in your bag?" He questioned and she pulled out two little bags.

"Hotties. They're supposed to keep your hands warm but when we started bouncing around to different hospitals I started picking up a few tricks. It's like a magic microwave you can carry." She threw them back in her bag and Stiles nodded.

"Thank you." Stiles opened the container and sat it down for a second wiping his hands off.

"I'm Stiles by the way. Stiles Stilinski." He held out his hand.

"Maggie Stevens, it's nice to meet you...officially." She smiled shaking his hand. Stiles picked up the box again and started eating in silence. He glanced up at Maggie occasionally and saw her smiling as she bit her pen cap. When he finished his food he noticed that the papers she was filling out were school papers.

"What grade are you in?" He blurted catching her attention.

"I'll be a junior this year if I ever get this paperwork done. I took the placement test when we first got here since my mom worries I'm not going to get the education I need worrying about her but I'm pretty sure I'll be in advanced classes anyway." She waved her hand around before bringing her other leg up under herself.

"So your mom got transferred here?" Stiles asked curiously as Maggie sat back taking a break.

"Yeah my aunt lives here and my mom was worried that I wasn't being taken care of so here I am. It's not that big a change I guess but at least I have the summer to get familiar with the area. You live here I assume?" She pointed at Stiles and he nodded.

"All my life. It's not so bad but it can get...boring." Stiles said making Maggie chuckle.

"I'm alright with boring. The last thing I need is to get submerged in some strange, town mischief." Maggie explained leaning her head on her hand.

"Well we've had some mountain lion issues but nothing too serious. So I guess no hiking and stay clear of the woods." Stiles joked earning a laugh. He took notice how her laugh made his stomach feel warm.

"I should probably check on my mom. It was nice talking to you. Maybe I'll see you around." Stiles stood up and Maggie nodded at him.

"I hope your mom gets well soon, Stiles. Thanks for keeping me company." Maggie gathered up her paperwork as Stiles left the room and walked down the hall to his mom's room. She had her eyes closed as he sat in the chair next to her bed but opened them once she felt him put his hand on the bed.

"Hey did you eat?" She touched his face making him lean into her hand.

"Yeah there was a girl in the family room a few doors over who let me have her spaghetti. It was pretty good." He explained seeing his mom smiling.

"You were gone for awhile, was the girl from school?" She asked and Stiles knew where she was going with it.

"She just moved here so she will be soon but the last thing I need right now is to be worried about some girl I just met." Stiles gripped his mom's hand and she frowned.

"Aw monkey, you know I love having you here but I don't want you to miss out on making new friends or living your life just to make sure I'm taken care of. Melissa is here and your father-" Stiles cut his mother off.

"Works too much. I heard you arguing." Stiles confessed making his mother sigh.

"Go easy on your dad. This is hard for him." She explained.

"It's easy for me? Mom, I sit here everyday making sure you're okay and that you're being taken care of. I get anxiety attacks even trying to leave for more than an hour. I'm not ready to lose you either but I'm here. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else." Stiles explained letting his anger get the better of him but his mother ran her hand through his hair to soothe him.

"It's okay, I know. I know. Let's both try and get some rest, okay?" Stiles rested his head on his mothers leg and she stroked his hair until he fell asleep. Stiles loved his father but he hated that he was making him go through this alone. He woke up momentarily early in the morning when his dad covered him up but when he really woke up Melissa McCall was checking up on his mom's vitals.

"Morning sleepy head. Your dad is downstairs grabbing breakfast and a girl brought those by for you late last night." She pointed at the table and he sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes to see two packs of Reese's with a post it note on them.

_You left your Reese's in the room and I ate them...but I bought you two more so thank you & you're welcome :)- Maggie_

Stiles smiled to himself before looking back at his mom who was still asleep. She had more color in her face than he'd seen in a long time and his dad had just walked through the door with more food. Today looked like it might be looking up.

"Who's that from?" His dad asked as pocketed the note.

"Just a girl I met yesterday." Stiles took the breakfast tray from his dad who was wide eyed.

"You met a girl? Where?" He inquired making Stiles shake his head.

"Here, I met her here Dad. I'm always here." Stiles flopped down on the couch and his dad sat down next to him.

"You know you don't have to be right? Your mom and I have been talking and want you to enjoy your summer. You barely go home anymore and it's not healthy to spend so much time here." He looked over at his dad who looked exhausted. He glanced at his mom to see her still asleep.

"My biggest fear is that the moment I leave this place, she'll be gone. I know that sounds stupid since she's doing really well but I just...I don't want to not be here when that happens...she can't...not alone." Stiles voice broke and his dad pulled him by his neck to hug him.

"I'm going to try to do better, son. I promise. Your mom will never be alone but you've gotta keep living. It's what she wants. Don't let her leave this world thinking she stopped you from living your life." The Sheriff kissed the top of Stiles head and held him close. Stiles listened to his father and looked up when his mom shifted.

"He's right monkey. I'll be fine if you leave for a few hours. Enjoy the summer with Scott, get into some trouble, talk to the girl who bought you your favorite candy. I want to hear about your adventures. Those are what make my days." She smiled at Stiles making him nod his head. He wiped his face pulling himself together just as the doctor came in.

"Well the tests are back, it looks like your body is responding positively to the treatments which can make us all rest a little easier. More tests tomorrow though but today you can just relax." The Doctor smiled at the three of them before leaving the chart on the end of the bed. Stiles let out a sigh of relief as his dad squeezed his shoulder and gripped his mom's hand. It was the first bit of good news he's had in a while.

"Looks like you found your good luck charm." Stiles looking down at his mom when she shook his wrist. He blushed slightly thinking that maybe Maggie was his good luck charm. He had stopped believing in fate when his mom had ended up in here but he couldn't shake the feeling that Maggie was special. He didn't know why but he wanted to figure it out.


	2. Cannonball

**A/N:** _For those of you that love Staggie and can live without the supernatural business then this will make you happy. I just realized that this is NOT a slow build story which I know most Staggie fans will be happy about. New info is introduced and in case you missed the snippet, Peter Hale is indeed her father. I hope you enjoy the update._

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Stiles walked each floor of the hospital 3 times before he became annoyed. His parents had kicked him out for the day and told him that he needed to get some fresh non-hospital air but he couldn't bring himself to leave the hospital. He'd walked outside and lost service on his phone so he figured he would just lay low in the hospital to appease them. He was making his way around for another lap when he spotted Maggie sitting on a bench looking a bit out of it. He bit his lip trying to push himself to say something but he wasn't sure what to say. She hadn't seen him yet so he still had time to flee but he kept thinking about what his mom had said. The least he could do was make sure she was alright.

"Hey, what are you doing all the way down here?" He approached catching her attention.

"Hey...I'm just..." She seemed pretty caught off guard as he walked closer.

"Don't hurt yourself." Stiles teased making her let out a sigh.

"Sorry, it's been a long day." She said rolling her eyes.

"It's not even noon yet." He gestured to the clock.

"Yeah it's a long story. What are you doing down here?" Maggie quickly turned the table on Stiles making him nervous.

"Oh um- well my parent's kinda kicked me out. They wanted me to leave the hospital for a bit to find adventures. My mom got some good test results so today should be an easy day." He explained.

"And your currently venturing the other floors of the hospital?" She raised and eyebrow.

"I'm working up to it." Maggie smiled sadly at Stiles.

"It's okay if you don't want to leave. I mean I know the feeling. It's tough getting over that anxiety but I don't recommend just trolling the halls. Someone is bound to see you and then if your mom is anything like mine, she'll give you the look that makes you feel pretty pathetic which turns into you feeling guilty for not doing what she asked." She said making Stiles sit down next to her.

"Your mom send you out too?" Stiles sighed but Maggie shook her head.

"No my dad is here. My mom sent me out because she knows she can't punch him in the throat when he makes me feel like a burden." She shrugged but Stiles couldn't help but stare at her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to...so your mom is doing better? That's good news." She quickly changed the subject and Stiles felt bad that he didn't know much about this girl who had somehow giving him some unexpected luck.

"Have you seen the rec room?" Stiles asked randomly making Maggie stare.

"Like the day care wing?" She questioned unsure of what Stiles was getting at.

"No the rec room. It's connected to the rehabilitation wing. There's a pool and a little movie room. They even have a quiet room." He explained getting up.

"I can show you." He gestured with his thumb but Maggie stayed unmoved.

"Look, I appreciate you trying to be nice but you don't have to-" Stiles cut Maggie off.

"I know I don't _have_ to do anything. I just figured maybe if I took you there it would actually count as an adventure. You know, don't want to break my mom's heart and all that." Stiles pulled a face that made Maggie laugh.

"Lead the way." She stood up and followed Stiles towards the pool which seemed to be closed by he somehow knew the code to get in.

"Do I want to know how you knew the code to get in here because it looks pretty closed to me." Stiles chuckled as they walked around the pool.

"I told you, I know most of the staff. Plus if we get caught then they'll just call my dad so you're fine." Stiles turned the pool lights on and Maggie walked up on the low diving board. For a second, Stiles thought she was going to jump in with all her clothes on but she just sat down letting her jean clad legs dangle above the water, converse shoes skimming the surface.

"So your dad is hospital security?" She asked as Stiles walked over to the diving board that sat next to the one she was currently occupying.

"No he's the town sheriff. It wouldn't be the first time he'd gotten a call about me being someplace I'm not supposed to be." Stiles said making Maggie smirk.

"So you're kind of a rebel huh? I can see that." She cut her eyes at him and Stiles shook his head.

"Technically you're my partner in crime at the moment, you did come in here with me." He pointed out. Maggie shrugged.

"I'm a particularly good liar. I can always say you forced me in here against my will. You are bigger than me." She gestured to him as he started to untie his shoes in order to put his feet into the pool. He wasn't as short as she was so when he dangled his legs they actually went into the water.

"Wow now I'm not so sure I want to be your friend." Stiles teased tossing his shoes back towards the platform.

"This is what being friends with you is like? Sneaking into places when they're closed?" Maggie cocked her eyebrow and Stiles thought about it for a second.

"Yeah pretty much." He said simply making them both laugh.

"So what are you into? I mean I don't really know anything about you, other than your name." Stiles rolled up his jeans a bit before dipping his legs into the water.

"Well I like music...I like to draw...um I'm a Leo?" Maggie joked.

"What kind of music do you listen to you?" Stiles pressed.

"All kinds. I don't really enjoy one kind of music particular I guess. I just like to browse genres and make playlists. I'm one of those people who wish life had a sound track." She smiled but Stiles liked that idea.

"Maybe you could make me a mix sometime." He suggested catching her eye line. She smiled at the suggestion and nodded.

"What about you Stiles Stilinski, son of the sheriff...what are you into?" She asked bouncing on the board slightly.

"These days? Not much really. I mean I kind of quit the lacrosse team when my mom became a permanent resident here and I didn't have much time to do anything else. I read a lot and watch a lot of TV. My dad wants me to be ready for sports season when school starts back up so occasionally I'll come down here and use the weight room or the pool when my mom is getting tests done but lately this is the most I've left the floor. She's been having sort of a rough go the last month." Stiles admitted and Maggie kept her eyes on him as he talked.

"Do you mind if I ask-" Stiles looked over at her already knowing her question.

"She would get these seizures a lot when I was younger and the doctors always said it was no big deal but about a year ago she collapsed making dinner, right there in the kitchen while I was doing my homework. She actually dropped the pan on her arm and like an idiot I thought the burn knocked her out or something but it turns out she's got a blood disorder. She'll get clots that need to be taken care of right away or she could..." Stiles stopped himself from finishing the sentence but cleared his throat to glance over at Maggie who was listening intently.

"The med changes have been working though. She doesn't sleep all the time and she actually is allowed to get up and move around a little without clots popping up. She even mentioned that the mysterious girl who brought me candy could be her good luck charm." He smiled at her but Maggie laughed.

"I think maybe she's just a really strong woman powering through it. I assure you, I'm not much of a good luck kinda girl." She said honestly.

"Maybe you're just my good luck charm then. This is the most I've left the room in a while without feeling like I was going to puke or have a panic attack." Stiles admitted. Maggie caught the blush on his face and looked away from him.

"Well don't hurl. It would really kill the vibe." She winked at Stiles who laughed.

"I'm really glad your mom is getting better though. It sucks being stuck in a hospital all the time." Maggie pulled her legs up and stretched them out the length of the board barely reaching the end.

"Do you have to spend a lot of time in hospitals because of your mom?" Stiles asked curiously.

"A bit but not a ton of time. I mean I'm hoping the treatment here will be different then in Chicago. She has fibromyalgia and it's caused a lot of other problems so when it got so bad that I started missing school to take care of her, my dad threatened to take her to court and gain custody. Moving here was kind of the compromise." Maggie explained with a shrug.

"Wow your dad kind of sounds...brutal." Stiles said but was thinking that he was a total dick. His dad struggled to be around but he'd never make his mom feel worse for being sick. He also wouldn't treat him like a total inconvenience.

"Well that's another story for another day." She said pulling her jacket off and tossing it back to fall on top of Stiles shoes. Stiles watched as she adjusted her black bra strap under her sheer tank. He cleared his throat and tried not to get caught staring.

"So moving from Chicago was probably really tough, with the whole leaving so suddenly for your mom...must have been hard to say goodbye to your friends...your boyfriend." Stiles trailed off as Maggie kept her eyes on him with a smile on her face.

"Not really that hard considering I didn't really have any super close friends there and it's my mom. I'd leave in a heartbeat to go to the moon if I had to." Maggie said honestly making Stiles nod.

"That's sweet. Not that you didn't have any friends or anything but about your mom. I'm sure you had some friends. It's cool if you didn't, I mean Scott's pretty much my only super close friend so-" Maggie's chuckle made Stiles stop talking.

"I thought I was the rambler here? You can be the cute, funny one and I'll be the awkward rambler." She said firmly catching Stiles attention. He didn't want to point it out and turn into a mush mouthed idiot again so he left it alone.

"What about you? I mean your girlfriend must be really understanding if you spend all your time up here and yet I haven't seen her around." Maggie pulled her knees up to her chest and glanced over at him.

"I wouldn't call her understanding, I mean it's my mom. She'd have to understand that the most important woman in my life will always be my mom first." Maggie shifted uncomfortably on the diving board. Stiles had a girlfriend and here she was trying to flirt with him.

"I'm sure she knows that. She's a lucky girl." Stiles and Maggie shared a look.

"I'd like to think she would be...if she existed but she doesn't." Stiles smiled making Maggie shake her head.

"What? You look a little relieved there. What is that face?" Stiles teased as Maggie stood up.

"Shut up." Stiles let out a laugh as she walked off the diving board and towards Stiles diving board. He scrambled to get up quickly thinking she might push him in but she held out her hand.

"Why are you so jumpy? I just want your phone." Maggie said looking up at him from the ground.

"See that's something someone would say right before they push you in the pool. I feel like I should keep my phone as a guarantee that you won't push me in." Stiles put his hands on the bars and Maggie took a few steps back putting her hands up.

"I'll even let you get down. I just want to give you my number but if you don't want it then-" Stiles jumped down and reached in his pocket to pull out his phone.

"Let me have your phone so I know you won't push me in." He said clutching his phone. Maggie rolled her eyes and pulled her cell out. She typed in her number before using his camera to take a picture of herself and saving it. Stiles was about to take a picture of himself but the phone beeped in his hand.

"You have a message from Peter?" Stiles handed the phone back and Maggie looked at it before rolling her eyes.

"Can you grab my jacket, I think I need to head back now." Maggie asked and Stiles nodded walking back towards the edge of the pool to grab the jacket but he could hear the sound of shoes slipping on the wet pavement behind him making him turn around quickly. Maggie had pushed on his chest and Stiles made sure to grip her arms as they both went into the water. They both resurfaced at the same time and Maggie's hair had fallen in her face making Stiles laugh.

"You thought you were slick but your shoes gave you away." He laughed as she pushed her hair back.

"I can't believe you pulled me into the pool. I could have still had your phone." She said splashing water in his face.

"What?! You tried to throttle me!" Stiles defended making Maggie jump up to push him under water but he pulled her down with him. Stiles opened his eyes and could see her bloating her checks out to hold her breath. Her shirt was completely see through now and her converses were kicking hard to push him further down before kicking up to the surface. He swam back up to the top and wiped his face in time to see her pulling herself out of the pool.

"Where are you going? Don't be a spoil sport." He said thinking she was running off but instead she ran on the diving board and canon balled right next to him. She reemerged with Stiles clapping for her.

"That was impressive for a girl your size." Stiles said leaning against the wall. Maggie swam over and hand to hold onto the side to stay afloat.

"Don't let my size fool you, I could probably beat you in a race." She wiggled her eyebrows at Stiles but his phone started to ring. He jumped out quickly and looked at the screen seeing it was his dad.

"Hey is she alright?" Stiles felt panic wash over him and Maggie got out concerned.

"Your mom is fine but I just got a call from the rehab director. He said he needs for you to get out of the pool before he can start his next session." His dad sounded stern but not pissed.

"I'm on the way back up now." He hung up and turned towards Maggie who had a look of worry painted on her face that made Stiles almost happy that she was concerned about his mom.

"Mom's fine, Dad just got the call. Looks like the race will have to wait." Stiles looked around for some towels before finding some sitting on the bleachers. He handed one to Maggie before slipping his shoes back on and pulling her out of the door with him.

"Crap, I forgot my phone." MAggie said making Stiles run back in quickly. Since he had it in his hand he took a picture and set it as his contact picture before walking out and seeing some older guy practically seething at her. He looked at Stiles and let out a sigh before laughing with malicious.

"Now I see what you've been doing. I shouldn't be surprised." He gestured to Stiles as he walked up behind Maggie.

"What? Maggie? Do you know this guy?" Stiles asked as Maggie seemed to freeze up.

"I wish I didn't." She whispered. The man shook his head as he looked Maggie up and down.

"This is you taking care of your mother? Fooling around with some boy in the pool. It's no wonder you and her are so alike. Plan on making the same mistakes she made too and getting knocked up?" The guy crossed a line and Stiles stepped up.

"Hey! Back off man!" Stiles stepped in front of Maggie but she didn't take her eyes off of the man.

"Oh get lost hotdog, this has nothing to do with you. I can talk to her however I want." He brushed Stiles off.

"Oh really? Why's that?" Stiles went to step in his space but Maggie grabbed his arm.

"Because he's my dad." Maggie said sadly. Stiles looked at the man and held his jaw firm. He knew who he was after a few moments.

"Yes I'm her father and you're the Sheriff's son. Tell me, how is your dad doing with solving all those cases now that he can't use my clients as scape goats?" Peter Hale was the sleaziest lawyer in Beacon Hills. He made sure to always defend the scumbags that blew through town and always seemed to get them out on a technicality, making it seem like his dad didn't know how to do his job. Before Stiles could answer Maggie put her hand on Stiles chest.

"Look I'm really sorry about this. I'll make it up to you but please don't get into it with him. He's not worth it." Maggie said as Stiles held Peter's arrogant gaze.

"Please..." Maggie said again making Stiles look down. HE could see the pleading in her eyes as he slipped her phone into her hands.

"Margret, let's go. We've wasted enough time here." Peter gave Stiles another look of disgust before walking a few paces away.

"Thank you." Maggie whispered pulling away but Stiles held onto her hand making her look up at him. She gave him a small smile before he would let go but as he watched her walk next to her dad he tried to wrap his head around the fact that such a horrible man could be half the DNA that made up such a sweet girl. As Stiles made his way back upstairs to his mother's room he looked at his phone. The picture Maggie had left for him was a smiling picture. She had one of those smiles that made you want to smile. A laugh pulled him out of his phone making him look up.

"Do I even want to know?" It was Scott smiling curiously at his best friend as he stood dripping wet staring down and smiling at his cellphone. Stiles wasn't really sure about what to say but he knew Scott would find out eventually so he let out a deep breath and shrugged.

"I met a girl."


	3. Beauty Of War

**Authors Note:**_ So this chapter is a bit longer for all those who are celebrating the holidays. Consider this a gift to you. Thank you for reading and reviewing. I look forward to progressing this story along outside of the hospital finally. I hope you enjoy the update. Happy Holidays!_

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Maggie hadn't left her mother's room for the rest of the week. She had been so mortified by what had happened with her dad and Stiles, she couldn't even stand the thought of having to see Stiles, let alone talk to him. She felt like an idiot for not making the connection about his dad being the Sheriff. All the bad mouthing her father had done to her mother over the years about the Sheriff and all the things he's done to try and screw up his career, Stiles must hate her now that he knew who she was related to. She couldn't take having him tell her off, not after how her father had embarrassed her in front of him.

"I've noticed you've been spending all your time here since your father's visit and normally I don't ask, I just let you go through the motions but you haven't said much either." Anna pressed her daughter.

"What did you want me to say?" Maggie shrugged.

"How about what it is he said to you that has made you terrified of leaving this room?" Anna shifted in her hospital bed seeing Maggie let out a sigh.

"You know I'm going to be okay baby. This is a safe place. You don't have to worry." Anna put her hand on Maggie's hand.

"He was right. We moved here for a reason and I can't afford to be distracted by some boy-" Anna put her hand up.

"Boy? What boy? There's a boy in this equation?" Anna had no idea where Maggie had been running off to but she'd always come back smiling.

"Mom can you please not do this? It doesn't matter who he is because I'll never be able to actually look into his stupid soulful eyes again or admire his annoyingly cute moles because he's the son of the Sheriff and is practically dad's arch nemesis." Maggie started to spill her guts and Anna just took it all in.

"And just the idea that I'd have to be face to face with him after what happened makes me want to vomit." Maggie let out a huge breath and Anna continued to rub her hand.

"Can I talk now?" Anna asked making Maggie look at her and getting a nod.

"We moved here because your father was having a power trip and it was the only thing we could do to avoid spending a butt load on court fees. He's still the same ass who thinks he has a say in how we live our lives but doesn't seem to know how to call on a regular basis unless it's to complain about his miserable life." Anna explained making Maggie bite her lip.

"You've been doing a wonderful job taking care of me baby but I'm getting some of the best medical care California has to offer now, which means you're allowed to take a breath and be a 15 year old girl." Anna grabbed both of her daughters hands with a smile. Maggie wasn't going to tell her mom about what her dad said about making the same mistakes as her because she knew it would only make things worse. She gave her a sad smile.

"It doesn't matter anyway. Why would Stiles want to hang out with the daughter of the jerk who tries to ruin his father's life?" Maggie shrugged and Anna picked her chin up with her hands.

"Because you're smart and beautiful and no matter who your father is, he doesn't define who you are. You're my daughter and you don't have a hurtful bone in your entire body so help your mother fix her hair so she doesn't like like a beast in the cafeteria." Maggie chuckled as her mom got up and slipped on some nice, comfortable slippers. She pinned her mother's hair back before making sure she could push the IV tree carefully as they headed towards the elevator. It was nice to be able to get her mom out of the room but Maggie still couldn't shake the thought that Stiles might hate her now. She was really enjoying getting to know him and wouldn't ever admit it out loud but she was actually kind of crushing on him.

"I'll grab the food." Maggie made sure her mother was sitting comfortably before grabbing a tray to load some lunch up onto it. She tried to grab her mother fries of some sort and something sweet because she knew she'd complain if she didn't have both. She picked up two drinks and headed back to the table.

"Ah you know me so well." She grabbed the brownie first and took a bite. Her mother had always eaten dessert first. It was a trait she'd passed down to Maggie.

"So did you get all your school papers in order? Karen said that Beacon Hills High isn't too horrible. I didn't expect lacrosse to be their main sport though." Maggie was snapped out of her thoughts.

"Yeah everything is in. I have to wait until the first day though to find out if I made advanced placement." Maggie said taking a bite of her chicken salad.

"Have you started unpacking yet?" Maggie rolled her eyes.

"No not really. I haven't even really been to the house much." Anna looked at Maggie disappointed.

"Maggie! You need to get settled in. This is going to be our home for quite some time so there's no point in avoiding it. Plus you know Karen will start putting things up in your room on her own. Do you really want that?" Anna tested making Maggie laugh.

"I guess having a baby makes you Martha Stewart pretty quickly." Maggie joked. Anna could see Maggie lightening up as they continued to eat but when she caught a glimpse of a boy who came into the lunch room looking like Maggie had described earlier in her rant.

"So this Stiles boy with the cute moles and soulful eyes, does he happen to wear plaid often?" Maggie shrugged dramatically.

"Yes? I mean what kind of question is that?" Maggie asked not wanting to talk about Stiles anymore with her mother.

"I was just wondering if I should be worried about the cute boy who is staring at you." Maggie turned her head and caught Stiles eyes. He smiled slightly but Maggie looked away embarrassed. Maggie couldn't bring herself to look up and check again but Anna laughed.

"He's adorable and he's got some pretty nice arms too." Maggie closed her eyes tightly.

"Mom, please don't." Maggie asked feeling how red she was.

"What? I'm just saying." Anna laughed but Maggie shook her head.

"Just…don't." Maggie went back to eating her lunch as Anna tried to pry into her daughters private life. Stiles made eye contact with Anna and she smiled at him. Stiles wasn't sure if he should approach or not but when Maggie covered her face with the side of her hand, he had a look of confusion on his face. He grabbed his lunch and rubbed the back of his neck before walking out of the lunchroom. Anna sat back and looked at her daughter.

"Wow that was harsh and pretty rude." Maggie looked back relieved before looking at her mother.

"Can we please just go back to the room." Maggie asked but Anna couldn't wrap her head around what the problem was.

"Actually I have half a mind to make you go apologize to him for that. I thought you were worried about him not wanting to be your friend, he looked completely content with seeing you and yet your completely blew him off rather blatantly in fact." Anna scolded her daughter.

"Yeah well you try facing someone after your father pretty much calls you an unwanted slut in front of them." Maggie mumbled running her hand through her hair and earning a confused look from her mother.

"What else did your father say, Margret?" She pushed and Maggie couldn't meet her mother's eyes.

"Stiles and I were in the pool area when Dad found us. He was mad because he said I should have been taking care of you instead of fooling around with a boy in the pool...and that I was going to make the same mistakes as you and get knocked up." Maggie explained almost feeling her mother's rage radiating off of her body.

"I know that he thinks I'm this huge burden but did he have to do that in front of someone else? I much rather he just punch me in the stomach or something." Maggie said trying to fight her stomach from tying up in knots. When Anna finally gained some composure she leaned into the table to catch Maggie's attention.

"You listen to me and you listen good, you were NOT a mistake. You are the best thing that ever happened to me and the only good piece of your father to ever walk this planet. To hell with what he has to say. The only reason he pushes you around like he does is because you remind him so much of me and I was able to walk away from him. He'll never get over that and he punishes you for it." Anna grabbed Maggie's hands and she had tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry baby. I wish there was someone else other than me to tell you how special you are so you'd believe it." Maggie frowned leaning over to wipe her mothers tears away.

"How about we go back upstairs and we'll marathon Supernatural?" Maggie suggested making her mom kiss her hands.

"That sounds wonderful." Maggie helped her mom to her feet and let her lean on her as they went back up to her room. Maggie always had her mom and aunts telling her how special she was but she could never shake the feeling of her father's discontent. She had joined her mother in her hospital bed to watch Supernatural on her tablet for the next couple of hours until her phone beeped.

**Text from Stiles S:**  
_Hey just thought I'd let you know they just started a Star Wars marathon on channel 18._

She looked over at her mother who had dozed off next to her and tried to think of something to write back. Sorry for blowing him off? Sorry he had to be bitched out by her dad? Sorry he had to witness her being dumped on by her own dad? Finally she gave up, pocketing her phone and putting the tablet on the table before changing the channel. It was hard for her to stop thinking about what her dad had said but when it eventually left her mind, all thoughts immediately went to Stiles. Why hadn't he texted her all week? Why didn't he bother coming to see her? If he truly wasn't angry at her like her mom had pointed out at lunch then why would he suddenly decide to text her about Star Wars? Obviously it's a classic and she would probably watch the whole marathon into the wee hours of the morning but that's not the point. If he didn't hate her then what's kept him away? Pity and secondhand embarrassment were the only things that came to mind and just the thought alone made her want to disappear.

_**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**~**X**_

Stiles had expected his dad to be cool with him coming back to the room completely soaked and just pass it over as his old shenanigans but when he completely flipped out and took his cell phone, he was completely baffled. It wasn't until later that his mom informed him of Peter Hale lodging a formal compliant to the hospital about the trespassing in the grounds and favoritism being expressed towards the sheriff's unruly son that set him off enough to highjack his phone. He decided not to push it with his dad but without his cell phone there was no way he was going to leave his mom's room so there he spent the rest of the week, flipping through channels and watching everyone that passed by the door like a hawk just hoping that one of those people would be Maggie.

"You know you've been doing that for the past few days." His mother's voice made him look at her.

"At first, I thought it was cute but now it's just getting kind of sad. Who are you looking for?" She asked shaking her head.

"No one." Stiles lied trying to stop looking at the door.

"You know we didn't really talk about the other night and I have to say I'm a little disappointed in you monkey." Stiles let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry Mom. I honestly didn't think it would cause Dad such a problem." Stiles said honestly but she scrunched up her face.

"You think I care about that? I wanted to know about your adventures and you've yet to give me any details on this girl and why it is that you were swimming with your clothes on." Stiles couldn't help but smirk at his mom.

"Spill it kiddo." She nudged Stiles with her foot.

"Her name is Maggie Stevens and she's actually pretty cool." Stiles clasped his hands together as his mom sat listening to him.

"What does she look like?" Claudia knew that Lydia was the last girl Stiles ever really fell for but when he finally told her how he felt she was kind enough to tell him that she was already in love with someone else and that she'd only ever see him as a friend. It was heartbreaking for him but he managed to make a friendship work with her.

"She's got long dark hair and dark brown eyes. She's actually pretty short for a junior, kind of like Lydia but she's got a really pretty smile. It's like it lights up her whole face when she smiles." Claudia could see Stiles smiling just talking about this Maggie girl and already knew she was going to be very important in her son's life. Stiles caught his mom looking at him and dropped the smile.

"She's just nice to talk to and not horrible company." Stiles played it off making his mother laugh.

"Not horrible company? Honey you came back the other day completely soaked from head to toe with a goofy smile on your face. I'd say she's more than just alright company." Stiles blushed.

"She sound like a lot of fun and I hope I'll get to meet her soon." She said pointedly at Stiles.

"I don't know when I'll see her next. I mean her dad is Peter Hale so I don't know if she's on lock down or something. Usually I'd have seen her by now." Stiles shrugged glancing at the door again.

"What's on your mind, Monkey?" Claudia could tell when Stiles mind went into overdrive. He'd over think things to the extreme until it was eating him up inside.

"I just...I just keep thinking about what her dad said to her. I give dad such a hard time about not being here or working too much but he's never talked to me the way her dad talked to her. It made me feel really conflicted, like I wanted to tell him off but at the same time I know it's her dad so I have to be respectful. But it's Peter Hale. How am I suddenly supposed to respect that scumbag that continuously tries to get Dad fired?" Stiles looked over at his mom and she gripped his hand.

"You don't have to respect him, you have to respect her enough to keep your opinions to yourself. You can't pick your family baby and sometimes really amazing people have really horrible parents. Did Maggie seem particularly close to him?" Claudia asked making Stiles shake his head.

"No she actually said she wished she didn't know him but when he started freaking out on her, she seemed almost...scared? I don't know something about their relationship just leaves me with a weird feeling in my stomach like I should protect her or something. That's crazy right? Protect a girl I just met from her own crappy dad?" Stiles looked at his mom and she smiled sadly as she touched his face.

"That's not crazy at all. It's something a good person would feel." She reassured him but she could see doubt written on his face.

"How about you go down and get us some lunch and I'll call your dad about getting your phone back. It'll give you a chance to check up on Maggie." She pitched but Stiles shook his head.

"No it's fine. I don't need to-" Claudia narrowed her eyes at her stubborn son.

"Monkey, I'm in dire need of something salty, preferably with that mango juice you know I love to go with it." Stiles rolled his eyes.

"You know I wouldn't be this anxious if I had my phone." Stiles stood out stretching his legs.

"I talked to Melissa and she's working on getting you something for that so you don't have to worry yourself sick if you aren't here 24/7." Stiles grabbed the lunch card off the table and laughed.

"Getting sick of my company already?" He joked.

"Honey, I'm sick of this hospital bed and being poked at but never will I ever be sick of your company." She smiled at Stiles. He kissed her head before heading down to the cafeteria. He may have made a stop by Maggie's Mom's room before seeing it empty and just giving up on the search but the moment he caught sight of the long dark hair, he knew it was her. She was sitting with a woman who had very similar features, he could only assume it was her mother. Stiles moved slowly through the cafeteria, grabbing things he knew his mom would eat as well as her mango juice, trying to get Maggie to look over at him. When she finally did, he smiled at her. Her eyes went wide like she'd instantly regretted making eye contact with him. Stiles felt like someone had punched him in the chest, feeling the smile fade off his face. He glanced over at the woman she was sitting with and she gave him a smile but Maggie covered her face with her hand and slid down in the chair a bit. Stiles rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling the burn in his cheeks as he picked up his tray and headed out of the cafeteria. He let his head fall against the elevator wall hitting it hard. He felt like an idiot. How could he think she would want to talk to him after getting her in trouble with her dad? Or maybe she was pissed that he tried to interfere? A million thoughts went through his head as he reached his mom's floor.

He held out on telling her at first but when he finally caved, she tried to explain away why Maggie would possibly ignore him like that but he still couldn't shake the feeling that he screwed up. Scott ended up showing up to have dinner with his mom but as they sat down the hall in the waiting room, Stiles couldn't help but spill his guts to his best friend. The night that he came back drenched, he told Scott he'd met a girl but that was it. He was too tired and confused to go into detail but mostly he just kind of wanted to keep it to himself.

"I feel like we've read this somewhere or seen a movie about it? Feuding families...the one with the Leonardo DiCaprio guy in it?" Scott said randomly.

"Romeo and Juliet? Maggie and I aren't star crossed lovers and I don't plan on offing myself because she doesn't want to be friends anymore. It just kind of...sucks." Stiles ran his hands through his hair and leaned his head against the wall.

"You don't know that she doesn't want to be your friend. It could just be her dad being a tool like he's always been. I mean you said yourself that she thanked you for backing off. Maybe she was just embarrassed." Scott suggested.

"Embarrassed of what?" Stiles asked confused.

"Dude, her dad pretty much called her a slut. I'm pretty sure most girls don't like to be called that by anyone especially their own father. I think maybe you're over thinking this." Stiles must have been thinking about what Scott had said because he didn't respond.

"Why are you so worried about this girl? Do you like…like her or something?" Scott asked but Stiles was deep in thought.

"Dude you totally like her!" Scott snapped Stiles out of it.

"What? L-like her? I just met her like a week ago man. Not everyone is a love at first sight deal like you and Allison." Stiles defended

"Stiles…it's cool if you have a thing for her. It's actually kind of nice to see you worried about other things for a change. Thing's that guys our age should be worried about." Scott chuckled. Stiles thought about what Scott was saying and realized he did feel different these days. He was still stressed and hyperactive but not so much about his mom's health now that she was doing well.

"You know, I don't think I've seen you this worried about a girl since Lydia." Scott laughed.

"Yeah well I'm not looking to confess anything to her at the moment so, no worries." Stiles said without thinking.

"Is there something to confess?" Scott's eyebrows went up but before Stiles could answer, the Sheriff walked in with Stiles phone in his hands.

"So I talked to your mom and I'm going to give you this back but I want you to try and please steer clear of Peter Hale. I've been asking around about his daughter and apparently her mother actually has full custody of her but even though that's the case, I want you to just try not to give him a reason to stir things up. Do you think you can do that?" His dad asked him holding the phone out.

"Yeah, yeah I can do that. Sorry again Dad." Stiles nodded at his dad as he took the phone back.

"Another thing..." The Sheriff reached into his pocket and pulled out a pager.

"Melissa had to pull a lot of strings to get this for you." He handed him the pager and Stiles looked over at Scott who seemed just as confused as him.

"Dad...pagers aren't exactly high tech these days. What's it for?" Stiles questioned.

"That will notify you if something comes up with you mom in the future that way you won't be here all the time. Your mom is going to start pressing for you to see the therapist again if you don't start leaving the hospital. Melissa will send you a page with the level of severity but son...you've got to start going out more." Stiles listened to his dad as he explained what the pager was for and what would happen if he didn't start living his own life and as much as he'd love to be angry and fight the change, he knew that his parents were right. His mom wanted stories and they couldn't all take place in the hospital. Without much warning, Stiles hugged his dad making him stop his explanation. The Sheriff put his arms around his son and hugged him back.

"Thanks Dad...you're awesome." Stiles thought about how lucky he was to have a dad like his. Peter Hale was a total dick and Scott's dad was almost as bad.

"You two don't stay up too late. I'm going to spend some time with your mom before my shift." The Sheriff left the room. Scott and Stiles settled into the chairs of the family waiting room which was empty. The Star Wars marathon had just started and Scott promised he'd watch it finally. Stiles sent Maggie a quick texted and bored holes into his phone hoping for her to respond but it never came. He tossed his phone on the couch next to him and saw Scott had already passed out. Stiles couldn't stop thinking about how much fun he'd had with Maggie in the pool, learning about the things she liked and making her laugh. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe Scott was right. Maybe they just weren't meant to be friends. Maybe that time in the pool was all they'd ever get. The thought bummed Stiles out enough to give up and try to focus on the marathon. He ended up watching it until he passed out.

By the time he came to, it was almost 11 and there was a small child was building a Lego castle on top of him. Scott had taken off and sent him a text letting him know he had to get to work. He rubbed at his neck and tried to stretch before heading back to his mom's room only to see Maggie sitting on a bench outside of his mom's door. She looked nervous a she bounced her knee up and down and fiddled with her fingers.

"Hey." He said trying not to sound like he'd just woken up but failed.

"Hey!" Maggie jumped before taking in his appearance.

"Are you okay? You look like-" Stiles cut her off.

"Passed out in the waiting room and woke up to Lego land on my face?" Stiles pinched the bridge of his nose and Maggie smiled.

"You make it work." She said honestly. There was a moment of silence before Stiles put his hands in his pockets.

"So...what are you doing here? Not like here as in the hospital but here as in outside my mom's room?" He asked gesturing to the room. He could see his mom sleeping with the light out and blinds closed.

"I wanted to talk to you but if you're about to go in then I'll just go." Maggie went to stand up but Stiles sat down putting his hand on her knee to sit her back down.

"She'll be out for another hour before I open the blinds. What did you want to-" Maggie cut Stiles off.

"I'm sorry for everything. I honestly had no idea he would come looking for me and be nasty at you and I'm just...I'm so sorry." Maggie ranted making Stiles stare at her.

"It's okay." He said simply but she shook her head.

"No it really isn't. He shouldn't have been that way towards you. It's fine if he wants to be that way with me because now I'm the burden on his doorstep but you didn't do anything wrong." Stiles grabbed Maggie's hand.

"Hey, it's really okay. I'm pretty sure your dad hated me before that day. Family history and all that." Stiles chuckled. Maggie turned towards him and put her hand on top of his as he held her other one.

"I also want to apologize for all the things he's done to your dad. I've never met him but I'm sure he's a great guy, he'd have to be to have you as son." Maggie smiled softly and Stiles eyes flickered to their hands. She let go of his hands and he cleared his throat.

"Can I ask you something without you apologizing?" Stiles asked making Maggie nod.

"Why did you ignore me yesterday? I mean you acted like you would rather be set on fire than have me approach you and then when I got my phone back last night, you never texted me back. I guess I'm just a little confused here since you keep apologizing and avoiding me." Stiles asked curiously. Maggie bit her lip before glancing at her hands.

"When I was younger, I'd get these postcards from Beacon Hills from my dad. They'd always say something sweet like "Thinking of you" or "I wish you were here" and it would make me so angry with my mom because I didn't understand why we couldn't just be where he was. I found out later that the postcards were sent by my half brother, Derek. My dad wanted a son to inherit his business and truly make his law firm a family practice but then my mom got pregnant. I guess when I saw you and thought about what my dad had said, I assumed that would still be in your head like it was mine. I couldn't stand the idea of you looking at me and thinking of me as a waste of time or an enemy." Maggie couldn't meet Stiles eyes and Stiles shook his head. He was angry that her dad could make her feel that shitty. How could someone treat their daughter like that? It baffled him.

"And I didn't know you got your phone taken away. I guess when I got your text, I assumed you were taking pity on me or something. I'm sorry I made all these assumptions about you. I don't really have anything to base them on other than my dad and that's not fair to you." Maggie added. Stiles took a deep breath before turning towards Maggie.

"Look, your dad was wrong…not only because he actually said those things to his own daughter but for assuming you're some easy girl." Stiles said licking his lips.

"Are you trying to say I'm a complicated girl?" Maggie teased but Stiles remained steadfast.

"No I'm trying to say you're special. You deserve a much better father than one that makes you feel anything less than special because that's what you are." Stiles felt his hands shaking and looked away from her. Maggie leaned over and kissed his cheek quickly making him turn back towards her to see the soft smile.

"What was that for?" He asked stunned.

"For being my hero." Maggie smiled sweetly and Stiles tried to hide his blush. He glanced over his shoulder to see his mom still sleeping. He could feel the pager pressing into his hip.

"I'll forgive you if you go with me to get some breakfast. I'm starving and I think I need some ice for this Lego indention on my neck." Stiles pressed his fingertips to the sore spot on his neck. Maggie laughed.

"I'd love that." Maggie and Stiles walked closer than usual towards the elevator to head down to the cafeteria. Stiles felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders and Maggie was visibly relieved after talking things over with him. He couldn't help but try and think about all the stories in history where family rivalries worked out for the better and was determined to find at least one.


End file.
